American artist Mike McLeod was first known as a photographer for the arresting portraits of Casual Encounters (2011) and haunting interiors of Texas Porno Road Trip (2014). McLeod's deadpan surrealism and experimental book design established him as a groundbreaking voice during a resurgence of independent publishing.

Curator and close friend, Shannon Michael Cane, championed McLeod, writing for Aperture that he 'subverts photographic tropes' and 'traverses complex territory'. After Cane's unexpected passing, McLeod withdrew to study Yoga and Eastern spiritual philosophies.

In the years since, an expanded practice has been emerging. FRACTAL GHOST (2026), McLeod's first work in ten years, marks a radical shift. Intimately scaled drawings serve as a point of departure for experiments in painting, printmaking, animation and more.

Before attending university, McLeod worked as a designer for RollingStone and a producer for Playboy. His work has been exhibited internationally, covered by Der Greif and Aperture as well as published in numerous anthologies including 10x10 American Photobooks, Unlocked and Printed Matter's Queer Zines Vol. 2. McLeod is a 2013 recipient of the Phoenix Art Museum Contemporary Forum Emerging Artist Grant.